It always goes like this:
The hubby and I sit down on the couch and throw out names. This is a process that takes hours, if not days. We both toss out names, each has the right to say no to the other's suggestions and we settle onh the short list before making the final selection. For us, the names generally come from songs. See, we like to have all of our dogs to have their own song. Maggie has Maggie's Farm (Dylan). Suzy was Suzy Greenberg (Phish) (though our friends named her, not us). Sadie came to us already as Sadie so the closest we have come to her own song is Sexy Sadie (Beatles), which I personally hate so can someone please record a better Sadie song?? Kthx.
The other night when we started out the naming process, we started with our old standby - music. But the brain-storming session quickly moved to TV and movie characters, the new MLS team here in Portland and other randoms. Ultimately, Hugo/Hurley just fit (Lost, anyone?). His official name is Hurley 'cause who gives their dog two names but I will likely call him both. When the hubbie started throwing out Desmond and Jack, I just said, if we're going with Lost, he's gotta be Hurley/Hugo. Doesn't he look like a Hurley/Hugo?
Here, in all of its glory, is the "short list".
Wilson
McGrupp
Timber ho
Taj Mahal
Bastien
Lebowski
Tennessee
Rutherford the Brave
Now comes the real challenge...finding a Hurley/Hugo song so that he's got his own song too.
What are your dog-naming traditions?
Being a complete nerd, I normally go for historical or mythological names first. But our process sounds quite similar. When we named our dog Shiva we wrote out a long list of every name we liked, even the ridiculous ones, and then slowly eliminated them one by one. It took a couple days but we eventually settled on something that met all our criteria.
ReplyDeleteI love names and naming. It's one of the things I look forward to the most about getting a new pet!
Congratulations on your new family member! I am only insanely envious.
Hi Y'all,
ReplyDeleteLove the name Hugo or Hurley...for a song? guess you'll have to go with the theme song of the show.
Hawk aka BrownDog
@Kristine
ReplyDeleteI too leaned towards the mythological once. I've had 2 cats named Isis and Morgaine. But so far our pups have inspired us down a different naming path. One of these days, I WILL have a dog named Merlin.
We seem to have a weather theme going on...lol.
ReplyDeleteHugo or Hurley are great names and seem fitting.
BTW Kristine--Merlin was Storm's daddy's name. A good name! :)
I too like to start with music or something else equally symbolic when naming my pets, but naming dogs can be a challenge if they come to you already named, which was the case with my Maggie, who was named Merry when I adopted her. I was not a fan. But since she responded to it I didn't want to stray too far from the way Merry sounded. (I called her Not-Merry for a while, which didn't have a very melodic ring to it.)
ReplyDeleteUltimately I also ended up with two names: Merry (I felt bad ditching her original name, and she IS SO happy) Magnolia (for the big beautiful trees that are synonymous with my Southern childhood...because she is such a pretty hound). And that became Maggie. Best dog ever!
Hurley is a wonderful name.